SUFFOLK SPORTS AWARDS: Cresign Secondary School of the Year

Bury St Edmunds County Upper School

County Upper School provides extra-curricular sports activities where students play against other schools, as well as having clubs for those that just wish to participate and enjoy sport.

During the academic year, the school helps every student to participate in two hours of high quality PE and offers an outstanding Gifted and Talented scheme.

Last year, five pupils represented their country and the school reached county finals in 14 sports and had three teams in national finals in basketball and rounders.

Sports trips and tours to Spain and South Africa are organised each year for a number of the school teams. The school has recently been awarded the afPE Sport Quality Mark at distinction, one of only four schools in the country to achieve it.

Priory School

The Priory School, in Bury, supports a diversity and range of young people with specialist teaching needs, including autism, behavioural, emotional, social, physical, medical or communication difficulty.

Three pupils were selected to compete at the East Region Athletics Championships. The pupils came away with a string of medals and two pupils achieved qualifying times to represent the East at the DSE National Championships, where again they won a number of medals.

The school was also represented at the Suffolk School Games Festival in Bury St Edmunds. The Priory again came away triumphant winning gold medals in the Discovery Challenge.

King Edward VI School

King Edward VI are a committed Healthy School and have 2.5 hours curriculum PE per week for all students at Key Stage 3 and 4, and a varied sports provision for sixth-form students.

With 168 fixtures played last year, the school was proud of its 84% win rate leading to gaining many championship titles.

The school, in Bury, has changed the phrase of ‘Gifted and Talented’ to Able and Committed’ to reflect the students that have worked extremely hard to get where they have.

Farlingaye High School

Farlingaye is a member of the School Games network which has brought many opportunities for students to train as young leaders.

The school offers a range of extra-curricular clubs and activities that are designed to increase participation rather than training for a competition.

It is not uncommon for up to 150 students to be participating in lunchtime clubs, and it is normal for 100 students to be involved on a daily basis.

The last academic year brought many achievements including the sixth-form football team winning the county cup, victory in the Sportshall Athletics competition and the achievement of the year 8 boys football team reaching the last 64 of the National Cup.

The school was the only one in Suffolk to have all four teams qualify for the regional final of the English Schools Track and Field Cup.

Thomas Wolsey School

Thomas Wolsey, pictured, is an Ipswich school for pupils aged three to 16 who have a physical disability with associated learning difficulties.

Approximately 50% of the pupils spend time at both Thomas Wolsey and a mainstream school.

All students receive one hour of swimming and one hour of PE each week, with additional after school clubs in swimming and multi-sport as well as lunchtime clubs offering Wheelchair Football, Boccia, Table Tennis and Polybat.

The school has close links with some community clubs so the students can pursue their favourite activities.

Thomas Wolsey is a member of the ‘Get Set’ network and is involved in Sky Living for Sport, which this year involved the leaders organising two half days of multi-sport activities featuring sports not usually offered.

The school takes part in the School Games and in addition has students competing at regional and national level in Boccia, Athletics and table Cricket.

The school operates an outreach service, part of which involves staff working with other schools to provide opportunities for pupils